Great Portland Estates hails strong lettings demand despite fears over Brexit February 10, 2016 Great Portland Estates said strong demand for its offices helped it to strike another 15 lettings in the third quarter despite increasing uncertainty ahead of the EU referendum. The West End-focused developer has had a busy three months after signing Italian fashion giant Benetton to its flagship store at 73-89 Oxford Street and leasing the last two remaining floors at 240 Blackfriars [...]
Dunelm’s share price jumps as homeware chain declares special dividend February 10, 2016 Shares Dunelm have surged by as much as 10 per cent after the homeware chain posted a better-than-expected jump in first half profits and declared a £63.9m special dividend. The retailer, which has 151 stores across the UK selling everything from curtains to bed and sofas, said pre-tax profits grew by 10.7 per cent to £75.5m for the six months to 2 January [...]
Outgoing Waitrose boss Mark Price appointed trade minister for foreign office and BIS February 10, 2016 Waitrose' outgoing chief executive Mark Price has been appointed trade minister at the foreign office and the department for business, innovation and skills (BIS), the government has announced. Price will take up the role in April after the appointment was approved by the Queen today. He will replace Lord Maude who has announced plans to step down next month after [...]
Bellway on track for jump in profits after selling homes at record high prices February 10, 2016 Housebuilder Bellway has kept its shareholders happy. The company said it was on track to deliver a significant rise in sales and earnings for the first half building more homes and selling them at record prices. The family-owned company, which builds homes across the country, completed 4,188 homes in the first half of the year to 31 January, up 11.6 [...]
Toymaker Hornby’s share price goes off the rails after latest profit warning February 10, 2016 Shares in model trainmaker Hornby have crashed by more than 50 per cent after the company issued yet another profit warning this warning and said it may breach its banking covenants. The Kent-based company behind Thomas the Tank Engine and Pocher car model kits, said a "disappointing sales performance" in the New Year is expected to result in a [...]
New homes at Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar’s Southbank Place unveiled February 10, 2016 The next phase of homes at Canary Wharf Group and Qatari Diar’s Shell Centre scheme on the South Bank has been unveiled today. The developers behind the 5.25-acre riverside site have put 164 homes at Casson Square on the market, with prices range from £650,000 for a studio and £3.6m for a three-bedroom flat. The apartments are split [...]
Greater London rental prices rise at slowest pace in nearly two years February 10, 2016 Greater London rents rose at their slowest rate in almost two years in January, according to research released today by HomeLet, suggesting that prices in the capital may have reached their peak. The insurance provider’s latest rental index reveals that prices rose by 6.2 per cent in the three months to January compared to the same [...]
New buyer registrations for prime London homes jump as buy-to-let landlords rush to beat stamp duty hike February 10, 2016 New buyer registrations for prime London homes soared in January as buy-to-let landlords scramble to complete their purchases before the stamp duty hike comes into effect in April. Figures from estate agency Marsh and Parsons today show that the number of new buyers registering in January 2016 was 24 per cent higher than in the [...]
Pandora shares lose their shine after jeweller forecasts sales slowdown in 2016 February 9, 2016 Shares in Pandora have slumped by seven per cent after the Danish jewellery firm warned of a slowdown in revenue growth over the coming year. The charm bracelet-maker forecasts sales to rise by 14 per cent to 19bn Danish kroner (DKK) in 2016 compared with a jump of 28.9 per cent at local currencies to [...]
Grainger joint venture goes on £57m west London buying spree February 9, 2016 Grainger and Dutch pension fund APG have bought a large residential estate near Kew Bridge in west London for £57.3m, as the pair continue to expand their presence in the private rental sector (PRS). GRIP, the residential property fund set up by Grainger and APG in 2013, has acquired the freehold of Kew Bridge House [...]
